Relay



March 18, 1947. M, a LONARD RELAY Filed June 2, 1944 WITNESSES: aw/ZM.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 18, 1947 RELAY Merrill G. Leonard, Sharon, Pa., assigner to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application .lune 29, 1944, Serial No. 542,756

tCl. 172-8) 12 Claims.

My invention relates to a thermostatic time lag relay and, more particularly, to the combination of a special relay and the depth control of a torpedo.

The Government of the United States has been granted a certain royalty-free license for governmental purposes with respect to the invention herein described.

During firing oi a torpedo, it is iirst subject to considerable acceleration in one direction, and as it encounters the water resistance, it may be subjected to rapid retardation. Since the depth control of a torpedo includes pendulous means which are thus caused to swing back and forth, the depth control will be very unstable during firing and a short time thereafter. The torpedo may first dive and then surface. This erratic operation has a harmful effect on the depth control devices and aiects the accuracy of the shot.

One object of my invention is to lock the depth control out of operation for a predetermined time after firing of the torpedo.

Another object of my invention is the provision of time limit control for a torpedo that is unaffected by rapid changes of torpedo speed.

A broad object of my invention is the provision of electric time limit means unaffected by the inertia of the movable parts.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from a study of the following specication and claims and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a. diagrammatic showing of a torpedo and depth control provided with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side vieuT of my invention with parts of the frame structure cut away and other parts broken away to show the operating parts of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of my invention taken on line III-III of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of my invention on line IV-IV.

In Fig. 1, T designates the torpedo body, D the depth control means and B the battery supplying the energy for operating the depth control and other numerous devices in the torpedo, To understand fully the utility of the essential feature of this one of my inventions, a brief and somewhat abridged statement of the depth control may be helpful.

In its normal travel in the water, a depth responsive device (not shown) and the pendulous member H keep the torpedo axis substantially horizontal and at a given depth. When the torpedo is at a depth in excess of that desired or is diving, or both, the pendulous member il makes contact with the flexible contact members l5. The number of contact members that are brought in contact with each other depends on either the depth of the torpedo, the angle of diving, or both. A circuit is thus established from battery B, through conductor I, trigger switch 2, closed at this stage, conductor 3, contacts and 9, at this stage making contact, conductor i, through such of Contact members l5 as may be shunting sections of the resistor I5' associated with these contacts l5, conductor i2, actuating coil I3 of the solenoid i9 for the depth control rudder, and conductor IB to the battery. 'Ihe rudder I8 is thus rotated counterclockwise to bring the torpedo to a lesser depth and the torpedo axis back to horizontal.

When the torpedo is at an insuicient depth or has its axis pointing in a direction causing surfacing of the torpedo, or both, then pendulous member il makes contact with one or more of the contact members 20, thus shunting one or more of the resistor sections 2t associated with contact members 20. A circuit is thus estab lished from energized conductor I Il through some of the Contact members 2G, some of the resistor sections 20', conductor I6, actuating coil il of the solenoid 2l for the depth control rudder to energized conductor i4. Rudder I8 is thus turned clockwise, and as a result, the torpedo axis is brought back to horizontal and the torpedo to its proper depth.

It is essential that the depth control be inoperative while the torpedo is subject to erratic movements involving, sometimes alternate, rapid accelerations and retardations during and just after iiring. To this end, I provide the thermostatic time limit relay R. This relay holds contact members 4 and 9 open for a set time and contact members d and 5 closed for a set time.

Upon firing, the torpedo trigger switch 2 is first closed, whereupon a circuit is established from battery B through conductor l, trigger switch 2, conductor 3, contact members ll and 5, conductor 6, bimetallic member, or strip 1, acljustable resistor 5I, when used, and conductor 8 to the battery.

It is important that relay R, in its operating characteristics, be unaiected by the torpedo accelerations and retardations. The structure of my relay is not apparent from the showing in Fig. l, since relay R is shown very schematic. Reference should be had to Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

I provide a unitary pressed metal frame structure 3d positioned on the torpedo, for the particular use I here make of my relay, as shown in Fig. 2. The wall 32 faces the war head, and the wall 33 the tail-cone of the torpedo. The cover 2S, and the vertical walis thus form a closed structure. A

On a suitable horizontal bearing stud 3i, I mount the generally four-pronged member 35. This member is biased to rotate in a clockwise direction by spring Sii, as shown in Fig. 2, Prong 31 engages the ledge 38, and as long as this ledge is in the position shown, member 35 is held against rotation. Prong 39 carries the contact members 4, whereas prong @il is of utility in resetting the relay.

For actuation of the ledge, I provide the two bimetallic strips '5. Corresponding ends of these strips are connected to Contact terminals d2 and dl connected, respectively, to conductor S and through resistor to conductor 8. The other corresponding ends of the strips l are electrically connected to each other by cross-bar 63. This bar d3 is of lesser width than ledge 38, and thus in nowise interferes with the free movement of prong 3l during tripping or resetting operation.

The ledge 38 is provided with a projection Sii which in turn is provided with the bearing pin it. This bearing pin d5 lts rather loosely into an opening in the upper end of the balance weight 46. This weight is pivoted, on a horizontal xed pivot lil, somewhat above its center of mass. The position of the supporting pivot is so adjusted and selected, with reference to the balance weight and other parts, that the inertia effect of the depending portion below the pivot is substantially equal to the sum of the inertia effect of the portion of the balance weight above the pivot plus the unsupported mass of the bimetal strips l, ledge 38 and cross-bar dit. The moment arm of each bimetal strip and other elements must, of course, be considered in establishing this balance of inertia forces.

In operation, therefore, the instant the trigger switch closes on the rst movement of the torpedo during firing, current is supplied to the bimetals. This current flows from conductor 3 to contact terminal 48, by a quite flexible lead 4B to contact il, then to contact from contact 5 to terminal 55, conductor 6, terminal d2, bimetals l'. terminal di, resistor 5! to conductor S. The adjustable resistor 5i may or may not be used depending on whether or not ne adjustments of time are required.

In any event, the size and material of the bimetals are so selected and the current flowing through them is adjusted by resistor 5i that a predetermined time must elapse before the bimetals deect suiiiciently so that ledge 38 is moved toward'the right, or counterclockwise with reference to the fixed ends of the bimetals. When ledge 38 disengages prong 3l, the four-pronged member 35 is released for clockwise rotation to open the circuit at contact members d and 5 and to close a circuit including contacts 4 and 8.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the relay opens its own circuit for the bimetals at contacts fl and 5, and that contacts 4 and 9 bring into operative relation the depth and diving control with the solenoids controlling the horizontal rudders i8. The operation of the horizontal rudders is thus not effected before rapid accelerations and retardations of the torpedo have ceased. By thus locking out the depth control by my relay and control, the initial diving tendency of the torpedo and other erratic operations are prevented.

When the nal run is made during battle, there is no need for any means for resetting relay R. When practice runs are made with practice heads only, then before each run relay R. must be reset since the four-pronged member 35 will, because of the preceding run or for other reasons, be in its extreme clockwise position. To this end Iprovide the front wall with an opening through which a spring biased stem 52 projects. The

inner end of the stem 52, when the stem is depressed, engages prong ll to move member 35 counterclockwise to set the relay.

The disclosure hereinbefore made and the showing made are illustrative of my invention and are not to be considered in a limiting sense. I wish to be limited only by the scope of the claims hereto appended.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a control for a movable device subject to accelerations the subcombination of a relay which in normal use is thus subject to accelerations, a relay frame, a movable contact assembly mounted in the frame which is thus subject to the accelerations of the frame and may thus be caused to operate by the accelerations of the frame, an inertia member mounted for movement on the frame and having an unbalance inertia eiect substantially equal to the contact assembly, interconnections between the inertia member and the contact assembly so interconnecting said inertia member and contact assembly that the unbalanced inertia efect of the inertia member balances the unbalanced inertia effect of the con- 1 tact assembly during accelerations of the frame.

2. The subcombination of a relay for use on a torpedo, said relay including, a frame, a contact assembly pivoted to swing, about a pivot region in the frame, in an arc whose chord is substantially in a line parallel to the normal acceleration and retardation of the frame which will tend to move the contact assembly in its swing arc, and inertia member mounted on the frame having an unbalanced inertia component equal to the inertia component of the contact assembly, said inertia member being coupled to the contact assembly so that its unbalanced inertia component co-unteracts the inertia component of the contact assembly.

3. In combination with the control for the direction of operation of a torpedo, a source of electrical energy, electromagnetic means for controlling the rudder means of a torpedo, circuit means including a stationary contact and a movable contact for connecting the electro-magnetic means, a thermostically actuated relay coupled to actuate said movable contact, a pivoted weight coupled to the movable contact, said weight and movable contact being dynamically balanced against each other so that acceleration or retardation of the torpedo is not capable to operate said movable contact, whereby engagement of the two contacts to energize the electromagnetic means cannot take place during acceleration or retardation of the torpedo.

4. In a steering control for a torpedo, in combination, a source of energy, an elongated thermostatic element at one end secured to the torpedo and free to swing at the other end, a latch at the free end of the element, a pair of spaced xed contacts, a movable contact biased to make contact with one of the stationary contacts, said movable contact having an insulated element to engage the latch that the movable contact is in engagement with the other of said stationary contact means for connecting the thermostatic element to said source through the movable contact and the other of said stationary contacts whereby the thermostatic element will release said insulated element after a predetermined heating time of the thermostatic element to thus cause engagement between the one stationary contact and the movable contact, and a pendulous member, having a, dynamically unbalanced portion whose inertia effect is equal to the inertia effect of the dynamically unbalanced portion of the thermostatic element, coupled to the thermostatic element to thus prevent any movement of the latch during acceleration of the torpedo.

5. In combination with a device, as a torpedo, subject to accelerations, a resilient bimetallic reed at one of its ends fixed to the device and free to swing at the other end, a source of electric energy, electric circuit means for connection to said source, said reed being associated with said circuit means to be electrically heated when the free end is one position to thus cause movement of the free end to another position to stop the electric heating of the reed, and inertia means, responsive to accelerations of the device, for also controlling the movement of the free end of the reed.

6. In combination with a device, as a torpedo, subject to accelerations, a resilient reed xed at one end to the device and free to move at the L other end, electric means for controlling the movement of the free end of the reed, and inertia means responsive to the accelerations of the device for also controlling the movement of the fr ee end of the reed.

'7. In combination with a device, as a torpedo, subject to accelerations, in combination, a U- shaped nat thermostatic element s0 fixed at the ends of the legs of the U to the device as to fall in a plane normal to the accelerations of the device, whereby the bight of the U will be subject to movements relative to the device in a direction always opposite to the direction of acceleration of the device, switching means controlled by the movements of the bight of the U-shaped member, and inertia, means responsive to the accelerations of the device for also controlling the movement of the bight of the U-shaped member.

8. In combination with a movable device, as a torpedo, subject to acceleration for a given time interval from the starting moment of its movement, a resilient bimetallic reed at one of its ends fixed to the device but free to swing at its other end, a source of electric energy, circuit means including said reed, switching means operable to connect said circuit means to said source at the starting moment of the device, and inertia means, responsive to the accelerations of the device, for preventing movement of the free end of the reed during accelerations of the device.

9. In combination with a movable device, as a torpedo, subject to accelerations for a given time from the instant of its starting movement, a time limit relay mounted on the device, said relay having a base, a pair of facing stationary contacts, a pivoted four-armed spider, a tension spring secured at one end to the relay base and at the other end to one of the arms of the spider to thus tend to rotate said spider, a contact on the second arm of the spider disposed between the stationary contacts, a latch normally engaging the third arm to prevent rotation of the spider and to so hold the contact on the second arm of the spider to be in contact with one of the stationary spaced contacts, a source of electrical energy, thermostatic means connected in series with the one stationary contact and the movable contact and engaging the latch to hold it in a position to prevent rotation of the spider until the thermostatic means have been heated for a given time, means for connecting the thermostatic means to the source at the instant of the starting movement of the device, and inertia means, responsive to accelerations of the device, for preventing movement of the latch during acceleration of the device.

10. In a control for a device in normal use subject to acceleration the subcombination of a thermostatic time-limit relay, including a support a U-shaped bimetallic member, means for securing the ends of the legs of the U-shaped member to the support whereby any acceleration of the support in any direction other than a direction falling in the plane including both legs of the U-shaped member will tend to move the region of the bight of the U-shaped member in a direction normal to the said plane, a pendulous member pivoted to the support and having a lug secured thereto projecting above the pivot of the member, means for mechanically coupling the lug to the bight of the U-shaped member, whereby the dynamically unbalanced portion of the penduluous member acts, during accelerations of the support in opposition to the dynamically unbalanced portion of the U-shaped member, switching means, and means responsive to a predetermined movement of said U-shaped bimetallic member for causing the operation of said switching means.

11. In combination with the control for the direction of operation of a torpedo, a source of electrical energy, electromagnetic means for controlling the rudder means of a torpedo, a spring, circuit means including a stationary contact and a movable contact biased by said spring for connecting the electromagnetic means to said source of electrical energy, a thermostatically actuated element disposed to release said movable contact upon a predetermined movement of the element, a pivoted Weight coupled to the element, said weight and element being dynamically balanced against each other so that acceleration or retardation of the torpedo is not capable to release said movable contact, whereby engagement of the two contacts to energize the electromagnetic means cannot take place during acceleration or retardation of the torpedo.

12. In an electrical system of control, the subcombination of a relay comprising a frame, a

- pair of stationary contact members, a movable Contact member pivotally mounted on the frame and normally disposed between the stationary contact members, a spring for biasing the movable contact member against one of the stationary contact members, a latch for holding the movable contact member against the other of said stationary contact members, a bimetallic strip secured to the frame at one end and at the other end secured to the latch, and an inertia member pivoted on the frame secured to the free end of the bimetallic strip, said inertia member having an unbalanced weight comparable to the unbalanced weight of the bimetallic strip whereby deflections of the free end of the bimetallic strip are not altered by the pivoted inertia member, but the bimetallic strip is free to move with changes of temperature to thus release the biased pivotally mounted contact member.

`MERRILL G. LEONARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

